After a long political crisis, the president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, was dismissed this Friday after the Constitutional Court confirmed the decision of the Parliament in That sense. The now ex -president had tried in December imposing martial law without success. In 60 days new elections will be held.
Yoon is a hard line, closer to the political right, who had assumed the presidency three years ago. In December he decided to dictate the martial law and sent the military forces to take Parliament and get out of there the legislators. To this day, he argues that he did it to “alert” the society of the “evil” on the left.
The opposition managed to gather the necessary votes and responded with Yoon’s dismissalwho was arrested in January. Two months later he was released, but justice did not withdraw his charges. On Friday, unanimously, the eight members of the court voted in favor of confirming the dismissal.
The trial generated a great mobilization in South Korean society. In favor and against, thousands of people accompanied the decision of the highest court on the street. Police took security measures, control points and barriers to contain protesters.
Yoon denies committing crimes. In a message to their supporters, he told them to be “deeply grateful to all of you who have supported me and encouraged, despite my many deficiencies.”
Now you must face a process by insurrection. Yoon, thus became the first president of South Korea in functions to be judged and convicted criminally from the democratic recovery of 1980.
From Star Prosecutor to President Impol
Born in Seoul in 1960 months before a military coup, Yoon studied law and ended up becoming a famous prosecutor With a crusade against corruption. He played a providential role in the condemnation of power of Park Geun-Hye, the first South Korean president imprisoned and dismissed in 2016.
As attorney general, In 2019 he also prosecuted the main advisor of the successor of Park, Moon Jae-in, in a case of fraud and bribes. To the conservative Popular Power Partyin the opposition then, he liked his profile and convinced him to be his presidential candidate.
Won the March 2022 elections against Lee Jae-Myung of the Democratic Partybut by the narrowest margin in the history of the country. Yoon never enjoyed much citizen appreciation, especially women after campaigning to eliminate the Ministry of Gender Equality.
Voters attribute the inflation in food, economic lethargy and restrictions on freedom of expression. They also accuse him of abusing presidential vetoes, such as when he paralyzed a law who sought to investigate his wife, Kim Keon Hee, By handling of the stock market.
As president he showed a firm position against North Korea, in a race to get a nuclear arsenal, and further deepened relations with the traditional ally of Seoul, United States. But his efforts to improve relations with the old colonial power of Korea, JapanThey didn’t like them.
Source: Ambito
